Dear friends and partners, 

 

 

This is a difficult time for many New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet. We're committed to sharing important updates around programs that can help New Yorkers in need of rent relief. Please take some time to review the information below information about the NYS Rent Relief Program and share it with your network and community.

 

What is the COVID Rent Relief Program?

 

• New York State has a new rental relief program for tenants who have lost income during the COVID19 crisis. The COVID Rent Relief Program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord. Applicants will not need to repay this assistance.

 

• Applications for the COVID Rent Relief Program administered by NYS HCR will open (today) July 16th, and applications must be submitted online or by mail within two weeks. You can apply here: bit.ly/nyctenantprotection

 

• All detailed information about the program can be found here: bit.ly/nyctenantprotection 

  • The website also includes FAQ documents in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Haitian-Creole, Bengali, and Korean. 

 

How do I know if I'm eligible?

 

• Before March 1st and at the time of application, household income must have been below 80% of the Area Median Income, paid more than 30% of their income in rent. You can review NYCs Area Median Income, based on household, here: https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/07/crrp2020_eligible_income_80ami.pdf 

 

• You must not have been in receipt of a housing subsidy that caps your rent at 30% of their income (like Section 8 or NYCHA). However, You can apply if you live in rent regulated and market-rate homes. 

 

• Household must have someone in the household with U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status (can be a minor). Mixed status families (e.g. a family with a U.S. born child) can apply. IDNYC is accepted as proof of identity.

 

• Households Must have lost income between April 1st and July 31st 

 

How does it work? 

 

• The one-time rental subsidy paid directly to landlords will cover the difference between the percent of household income spent on rent on March 1, 2020 and the percent of household income spent on rent at the time the household is applying for assistance. You can apply for up to four months in assistance for the months of April through July 2020.

 

• You do not need a lease. 

 

• Tenants do not have to be behind on their rent to receive assistance (tenants who are current on their rent payments can have funds applied a credit for future months). The program is open to households that rent apartments, single-family homes, manufactured homes and manufactured home lots.

 

• This is not a first come first serve type of program. However, HCR will have to prioritize applications from tenants with the lowest incomes and highest rent burden due to limited funds.

 

• Applicants wills be given notice whether they are eligible and the amount of funds that will be sent to their landlords.

 

Need more information?

 

• You can call 311 and say "tenant helpline" to inquire further about program eligibility or receive guidance on application.

 

• For assistance with problems with your application, you can call the New York State HCR Call Center at (833) 499-0318. Call Center support is available from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Saturday.

 

• If you have questions about immigration and public benefits, call the free, confidential ActionNYC hotline at 800-354-0365, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or call 311 and say "Public Charge" to access timely and trusted information and connections to legal help.

 

Spread the word!